Can-opener.



H. W. SHBEHY.

GAN OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED mum, 1913.

1,094,172. 1 Patented Apr. 21,1914

flilgESSES: Z1 INVENTOR .J/ZMW J2. wrjheez guide, and Fig. 9 is a viewof the rotary' HARRY W. SHEEHY, 0F AKRON, OHIO.

CAN- OPENER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr 21 1914 Application filedJanuary 9, 19 13. Serial No. 740,973.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY \V. SHEEHY,

residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and Improved Gan-Opener, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to openers for cans and other similar kinds ofreceptacles and it primarily has for its object to provide adevice ofthe character noted of a very simple and economical construction, thatis a simple, durable anti etficient tool, capable'of being readilyapplied to. and adjusted for cansof different sizes and which can beeasily manipulated to adapt it for making a clean edge out around thetop of the can close to the body portion thereof, and without danger ofcutting the operators hand or leaving a rough edge, such as is customarywith can openers of like type on the market.

With the above and other objects inview, all of which will behereinafter referred to, my invention is a can opener in which isembodied the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of parts all ofwhich will be first described, in detail, then be specifically pointedout in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which v Figure 1 is a perspective of my can opener, thesame being shown as in the oper ation of opening a can. Fig. 2 is asimilar view thereof, and which shows its application for removingabottle cap. Fig. 3 is a perspective view that shows how my improveddevice is used for prying open a pan top. Fig. 4 is an invertedperspective view of my can opener. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectionthereof. Fig. 6 is a transverse section on the line 66 on Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a plan view of the stamped blank that constitutes the body portion orhandle of my opener, and before the same is bent to the final shape.Fig. 8 is a detail view of' the combined puncher rod and rotary cuttercutter.

, While my invention is primarily designed for use as a can opener, itshould be stated, its structure issuch that it may be readily utilizedfor other purposes, such as removing bottle caps, prying open can lidsetc.

In its practical arrangement, my can opener comprises essentially a bodyportion or handle,a freely adjustable rotary cutter and a combinedpuncturing and guide rod.

The body portion 1 is formed B'y stamping up the blank form see Fig. 6)that comprises the body portion proper 1, the rear .part of which has atransverse slot 2, one

edge 3 of which is straight, the other edge 4; being rounded at theends, as at 5, the reason for which will presently appear. At theforward end the blank body has a longitudmally elongated slot 6, theopposite edges of which are continued as slits 7 7 where by to provide atransverse tongue 8 and the latter has a central curved notch 9. To therear of the slot 6, the body 1 has an aperture 10. At the oppositeedges, the body 1 is scored on the lines 11-11 whereby to provide forreadily bending down the said edges to produce side flanges 1212. Theforward end of the body 1 tapers, whereby, when the opposite edges arebent down the front ends of the opposing side edges 'or reason for whichwill be explained. The

rear end of the body is curved and is bentis bent and sharpened to forma combined guide and puncturing point 17 and the other end is bent upas. at 18.

19 designates a rotary steel cuttervand it includes the cutting-disk J0and a guide disk 21, the two being joined by an intervening annulartapered groove 22 that rides upon the edge of the can during the cuttingoperation.

In assembling the parts, the cutter disk is first slid onto the rod 16,the rear end of the rod is slipped up through the aperture 10 in thebody 1, and upset to form a rivet-like head 23, after which the frontend is moved up into the restricted opening 14 between the front ends ofthe opposite side edges and held securely by compressing the said sideedges around the said end of the rod, as shown, the said rod beingfurther held rigid by bending down the tongue 8 to bring its notch 9over the rod, (see Fig.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the drawing, the completeconstruction of my can opener device will be readily apparent.

For opening the tops of cans, the opener is properly positioned bypuncturing the can flanges form a restricted passage 14, the

with the pointed end of the rod 16 to allow the hook end to be slippedthrough the can top. The handle is then brought down flatwise on the canand the cutter is slipped out to suit the diameter of the can, it beingguided by reason of its annular groove riding in the outer edge of thecan, the required hand pressure, being now only necessary to effect thecutting of the can top as the opener is swung around.

The transverse slot with the straight and curved edges mentionedprovides for con veniently using my devices for uncapping bottles (seeFig. 2) and since the rear end of the handle terminates in an upturnedlip, the device can also'be freely used to pry open can tops, (as shownin Fig.

What I claim is:

l. A can opener comprising a body portion shaped to be grasped in thehand, and having an elongated slot, a longitudinally extended rodsecured to the front end of the handle and extended lengthwise of theslot, the front end of the rod terminating in a puncturing and guidemember, a cutting disk rotatably and slidably mounted on the rod withinsaid slot of the body portion, said disk being bodily movable along saidrod in said slot from one end of the same toward the other.

2. A can opener comprising a handle-like stamped metal body whoseopposite edges arebent down to form side flanges, the forward end of thehandle being tapered whereby to produce a restricted passage at suchend, the said body having a longitudinally extended slot, a rod having apointed and hooked front end that seats in the restricted passage at thefront end of the handle, said rod extending lengthwise across the slotin the handle and having its inner end riveted onto the handle body anda rotary cutter slidably mounted on the rod, said cutter includingcutting disk, a guiding disk, and a grooveike neck that joins the disks.

3. As an article, an implement of the character stated, comprising astamped metal handle-like body, the opposite edges of which are bentdown to form side flanges, saidbody having a longitudinal slot near thefront end, the side flanges of the said front end forming a restrictedpassage, a flange that projects down from the front edge of the slot inthe handle-like body, said flange having a concaved seat, the bodyhaving an aperture at the rear of the slot, a rod having its front endpointed and bent to form a guide and puncturing member, said front endbeing mounted in the restricted passage and held clamped by the oppositeside flanges of the handle, the said rod also engaging the concaved seatin the front flange, the inner end of the rod being bent up and rivetedover the aperture in the handle, and a rotary cutter slidably mounted onthe rod and movable in the slot of the handle, said cutter including acutting disk, a guiding disk and an intervening neck groove.

4:. As an article, a device of the character stated, a handle-like bodystamped from sheet metal, said body having side flanges, an elongatedslot near the front end and a rotary cutter, and means for supportingthe cutter in the slot in the body portion for rotary movement on itsaxis and sliding movement in the slot from one end of the same to theother.

HARRY W. SHEEHY. Witnesses:

CHARLES Hnnnron, ETHEL C. BIDDLE.

